INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP COMMITTEE

2007 Annual Report

I. Committee Accomplishments:

Book Distribution:  Book distribution continues to be the committee’s biggest challenge.  Working with Michelle Klimesh and the Pipeline of Light, individual couriers traveling internationally, and the Coupon postcard system has allowed the Urantia Book revelation to get into the hands of hundreds of hungry souls.  Cases of books have gone to Latin America (Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Chile), Africa (Zambia, and Tanzania), and many countries in Europe.  Tom Choquette graciously donated and quietly shipped 100 books to Simon Cox in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Individual books have been distributed in the Middle East and Asia with the great help of the indomitable J.J. Johnson.  And George Gordon is working diligently to get Urantia Books and “Jesus, A New Revelation” into Jamaica, and other Caribbean Islands.

    
As many as 50 coupons were distributed in Argentina and Chile; with requests going to individuals in the Philippines, Ghana, and Morocco. And a hearty recognition goes out to the many individuals who volunteer to physically carry books – singles and cases – with them when flying to destinations outside the United States.

Known library placements have been in:  Cairo, Egypt; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Capilla del Monte, Argentina; Piedras Negras and Guadalajara, Mexico.

Outreach:  Public presentations were carried out at the Navajoa, public library, in Guadalajara, and at the Expo Esoterica MTY Mexico City, Mexico by Agustin Arellano.  He also made a public presentation at the LDS (Latter Day Saints) Church entitled:  “UB and The Book of Mormon”. In Ecuador, presentations were made in Quito, Ibarra, Ambato, and Guayaquil by Agustin and Nelida Oliver.  In May, a major outreach campaign happened in Argentina with Nelida, Agustin, Dr. Arias, Dolores Nice, and Jorge Ortega` making presentation in Buenos Aires, Cordoba, and Capilla del Monte. Three public presentations were made in Santiago, Chile by Dr. Rafael Arias Rojas, his wife Nidia, and Agustin in June. 

In late July, Agustin manned an El Libro de Urantia booth at the Expo Cosmic Consciousness in Tijuana, Mexico.  Chita and Namukale made a bold thrust into Tanzania distributing books, and made an important contact with the chief librarian in the capitol. 

Algimantas Jokubenas in Lithuania continues to be relentless in his public speaking as he travels from village to village; usually sleeping in a tent.  David Kantor and Svetlana Braziene are a major force in bringing together readers and leaders in Russia, Lithuania, The Netherlands; and throughout Europe.  David is also working very closely with an emerging leader in India. Study Group coordination was established at nearly every presentation.

Conferences:  Two major conferences were enjoyed.  The Fifth Annual Lithuanian Gathering of Urantia Book readers happened on June 9^th and 10^th with the theme “The Father Within Us” and attended by nearly 50 people.  On July 21, the Costa Rican Association of the Creators of Nebadon held a conference entitled:  “Quality Levels of Life in Our Evolutionary Experiential Development” spearheaded by Dr. Rafael Arias Rojas. It was held in the facilities of the School of Doctors in San Jose.  Speakers were from Costa Rica, Mexico, and Brazil.   A Workshop was held by the Mazatlan, Mexico group in February, assisted by Agustin and attended by Micah Kruger (with assistance form Susan Ransbottom) representating the International Fellowship Committee of the Fellowship.

Media:  Radio talk shows have presented an excellent medium for outreach in Latin America.  During the mission to Argentina, team members (Rafael Arias, Dolores Nice, Nelida, and Agustin) were on two talk shows: one in Capella del Monte, the other in Buenos Aires.  And, judging by the feedback from call-ins, the discussions were very popular with the audiences and satisfying to the station managers. Nelida is negotiating with a radio station in Buenos Aires to do a regular once-per-month one-hour radio show on El Libro de Urantia.  Agustin also did radio shows in Hermosillo and Monterrey, Mexico.  Two Spanish websites are maintained and regularly updated by Agustin: www.orvonton.org and www.aguzgestalt.org where hundreds of hits are recorded weekly.  He also publishes the Casa Mek Newsletter.

We’ve made generous use of posters, thanks to the efforts of Ken Raveill’s Spanish version of the “Jesus, A Timeline”, and Charles “Chick” Montgomery’s “Ascent to Paradise” poster.   The animated Spanish version “El Ascenso al Paraíso” on Saskia Raevouri’s SquareCircles.com site was made into CD’s and shipped to the conference in Costa Rica.  Thousands of Spanish Spiritual Vitamins made by Larry and Donna Whelan were handed out during this years outreach efforts.

 
DVD copies of the J.J. Benitez television series “Planeta Encantado” were made    

      and sent to many study groups in Latin America; especially in Ecuador and Argentina.

      Many copies of Pat Banton’s CD “The Words of Christ” were made and distributed

      with Urantia Books to Jamaica.

     Translations: Agustin has just finished a full translation of Mary Eban’s “The Basic Teaching of the
Urantia Book”, and is seeking estimates for publication from a printer in Monterrey and Guadalajara, Mexico.  He is also making steady progress on Michell Klimesh’s “A History of Everything”.  An audio of El Libro de Urantia is completed, but using an automated-voice.  Several Latin’s have auditioned to do the human-voice version.  And, a joint project between Urantia Foundation, The Urantia Book Fellowship, and the Heart of America Society produced a Urantia Book “Sampler” in the Urdu (Arabic) language.  It contains completed copies of 5 Papers (#1, 56, 100, 112, and 196) in English and the same in Urdu and was shepherded to fruition by Ken Raveill.  Copies have already gone out to seekers in Pakistan and India.

Collaborations:  The International Fellowship Committee has collaborated with the Outreach Committee – they sent a “Urantia Book” banner to Chita and Namukale for their upcoming bookfair in September.  And meetings are underway with the Interfaith Committee to develop and print “position papers” with compatible thoughts and teachings with the Urantia Book and most of the world’s religions.  And, of course, we work hand-in-hand with Michelle and the Pipeline of Light and Tamara Wood at the Foundation to get books out.

Additionally, during the Argentina mission, several members of the IFC meet with Carlos Rubinsky, the Foundation representative in that area.  We agreed to “get out” the good news of the new cooperation between the Foundation and Fellowship, and, as an outward gesture, agreed to co-manage an El Libro de Urantia booth at next year’s National Bookfair; to include sharing the sizeable cost.  For the first time, study groups were attended by both sides. This was viewed by most as a huge step forward to a unified Latin America.  Amen.

Organization Assistance:  Mexico and three countries in Central America (El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica) have taken initial steps toward a formal tax-exempt, non-profit organization; with several countries in South America talking about it.  This is one of our primary goals in Latin America – to assist study groups to grow until they have their own financially self-perpetuating organizations.  This way, the Fellowship can interact on an organizational to organization level. 

On the organization of the Urantia Book Fellowship, David Kantor resigned as chairman of the International Fellowship Committee and Buck Weimer was elected in his place for a seamless transition of energy and activities.

II. Projected Plans for 2008:

Planning for a conference in Chile is underway, and conferences by the Foundation in Colombia and Venezuela will have IFC attendance.  We will have an IFC booth at IC08 at UCLA in California, and hope to have a large contingent of international readers.  Another foray into Africa is needed, and a trip to India will be necessary.  More translated materials are needed, but will be best printed in local countries.  A “Sampler” book in Spanish is needed.  An English printing of the Urantia Book in South Africa looms as a possibility.  Discussion is underway for more “Sampler” book in other languages.  The first (and perhaps second and third) tax-exempt, non-profit organization in Central South America is likely to happen.  Development of the Companion Study Group project will continue.

III. A Vision for the Next Three to Five Years:

In 2009 we are planning the largest ever conference in Latin America.  It will be in Costa Rica and totally bi-lingual; every class and every workshop will have Spanish-English translations or translators available.  We anticipate drawing hundreds of North Americans together with the Central and South Americans for a true display of brotherhood and sisterhood on Urantia.

Within five years, we envision Africa emerging in a similar model as has Latin America; with Asia following.  A special look at China is needed and how the unfolding of the Revelation will happen there.  A majority of the evangelical Christians in China have an innate sense of rebuilding the Silk Road westward – to Jerusalem.  This could be exciting if they have the Revelation because with this drive also comes the desire to “convert” Moslems; with whom they have a much better affinity than Westerners.  Is this the seraphic plan?

Respectfully submitted,

Buck Weimer, Chairman

(with Dolores Nice, Susan Ransbottom, and David Kantor)

“As faith-enlightened and spirit-liberated sons of the kingdom of heaven, you face a double responsibility of duty to man and duty to God while you voluntarily assume a third obligation: service to the brotherhood of God-knowing believers.” 178:1,5